ARTICLES ABOUT OKLAHOMA BY DATE - PAGE 2

Peter Warchal , a volunteer from the American Red Cross's Berks County chapter, deployed to Shawnee, Okla. earlier this month to assist tornado victims. In recent weeks, tornadoes in Oklahoma have killed dozens of people and damaged thousands of homes and businesses. Warchal, 60, lives in Exeter Township outside Reading. He is a retired school counselor. As a volunteer, he donates his time and expertise while the Red Cross covers travel, lodging other costs. Warchal, who was interviewed over the phone while in Oklahoma, is the subject of this week's Q&A. Q: What do you do for the Red Cross?

Discovery's "Storm Chasers" stars Tim Samaras and Carl Young and Samaras's son, Paul, were killed during an Oklahoma storm, the network said Sunday. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Samaras his son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families," the network said in a statement. The trio were killed while chasing a tornado in the city of El Reno on Friday, according to CNN. Samaras was 55 and his son was 24 years old. Samaras' partner Young was 45. An Oklahoma tornado special airing on Discovery on Sunday will be dedicated to the storm chasers, it will read: "In memory of Tim Samaras, Carl Young and Paul Samaras who died Friday, May 31st doing what they love, chasing storms.

Moore, Okla., was devastated by a tornado. It is estimated that $2 billion will be needed to begin rebuilding this shattered community. There were, and are, many oil fields in Oklahoma. It would be appropriate for Exxon/Mobil to donate $2 billion dollars from its obscene quarterly profits — $9.5 billion for the first quarter of this year —to rectify this situation. It could even include an additional billion to build safe rooms — storm cellars — under each and every school and day care center.

SALEM, Va. - The Kutztown University softball team fought back to send the Division II national softball championship game into extra innings, but eventually fell to the University of Central Oklahoma 5-2 on Monday afternoon at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex. The Golden Bears (37-22) took a season-high 14-game winning streak into the national title game against the Bronchos (51-11). It was the first time in school history that Kutztown had competed in the championship game after advancing to the semifinals for the first time last season.

Members of Muslims and Christians United send their thoughts and prayers toward the victims of the recent tornado disaster that struck Oklahoma. We encourage every one of all faiths to come together in this time of crisis by helping the people of Oklahoma in any capacity. Shehzad Malik, M.D. Allentown The writer is a member of Muslims and Christians United, a Lehigh Valley interfaith initiative.

Newcomers, a lot of them, think it's crazy that not every house in Oklahoma has a storm shelter. For them, disasters like the tornado that tore through Moore and south Oklahoma City on Monday — and the ones that destroyed or damaged homes in Edmond, Norman, Shawnee, Bethel Acres and Carney the day before — confirm it. Death is especially convincing. Patrick Lenow and his wife, Kim, moved to Oklahoma from Southern California and bought a house earlier this year without a shelter, but wasted no time in having one installed.

IronPigs first baseman Josh Fields and his wife are teaming up with the organization to raise funds to help the victims of the tornadoes that devastated the Oklahoma City region earlier this week. Both Josh Fields and his wife Ashleigh are natives of the region rocked by the violent EF5 tornado, the strongest classification of storm, that ripped through the area on May 20 and are raising contributions through a web site (http://www.youcaring.com/other/home-base-oklahoma-city-tornado-relief/61171)

There cannot be anything less dignified than a bunch of lawyers fighting over the corpse of a hero who deserves to be honored and to rest in peace. Today, the battle is over Jim Thorpe. Tomorrow, maybe it will be over Ira Hayes. Thorpe won 1912 Olympic gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon in Sweden. "You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world," proclaimed King Gustav V. He has been resting for 59 years in a Pennsylvania town, the only place in America willing to honor him. His hillside tomb has been respectfully maintained all these years by the town named for him. Now there is a demand that Thorpe, born on the Sac and Fox Indian Nation, be dug up and reburied in Oklahoma, where no one lifted a finger to honor him before or after he died broke in 1953, in California.

- Lane Johnson's athleticism and high ceiling has him on his way to Philadelphia. The University of Oklahoma offensive tackle became the Eagles' highest draft pick since quarterback Donovan McNabb in 1999 when the Eagles took him with the fourth pick of this year's draft Thursday night. Johnson (6-6, 303 pounds) brings outstanding athleticism to the position after playing quarterback in high school and starting out as a tight end at Oklahoma. But as his body filled out, he found his niche at tackle, a position he's played for just two seasons.

Stewart Counterman stopped by Jim Thorpe's tomb Monday afternoon after hearing the legendary athlete's body might soon be moved. Despite never having set foot in the town that now bears his name, the pro football pioneer and double-Olympic gold medalist provided the community a sense of purpose when it seemed to have none. "It's something that is really important," said Counterman, of Lehighton, standing in the shadow of Thorpe's red granite mausoleum. "It's something that we're going to miss if it's not here.